California Veterans to Get User-Driven Website

A new site for nearly two million California veterans will offer an integrated, personalized experience.

California’s nearly two million veterans will be able to have a personalized online experience once the state implements a project to modernize the web portal directing them to government-provided services. The California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) is currently working to launch the first phase of CalVet Connect that will bring the department’s digital presence into the 21st century.

“This project will modernize our current Internet site by implementing an intentions based experience for veterans and their families,” said CalVet CIO Christie Borchin in an email.

With the first phase to go live as early as this fall, the new website is planned to be fully functional by February 2014. It will provide the options of creating a user profile, personalizing the website options, integration with social media and integration with CalVet’s Android and iOS mobile apps for veteran registration.

The CalVet Connect architecture will also allow veterans to connect to various federal, state, local or private organizations that provide service to veterans.

Folsom-based Kiefer Consulting won the $500,000 contract to help develop the project in April.

According to Borchin, once fully implemented, CalVet Connect will include:

An intentions-based user experience,

A single point of entry for California veterans, family members and other interested parties to learn about benefits and services at multiple levels of government,

Replacement of the current CalVet Internet site with a repurposed site,

The option for users to create and maintain user profiles,

A user-profile driven personalized experience for registered users,

Integration with “Web 2.0” and social media,

Integration with CalVet’s Android and iOS mobile apps for veteran registration; and